Working platform

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns a working platform assembly for use in the interior of a tower-like building. The object of the present invention is to provide a working platform assembly which can be used in the interior of a tower-like building even if the tower is closed at the top by an upper structure thereon. According to the invention that object is attained by a scissor lattice-like carrier structure and a working platform arranged on the carrier structure. In that respect the invention is based on the that the working platform assembly according to the invention can be adapted to different inside diameters of the tower-like building by virtue of the scissor lattice-like carrier structure and can thus extend completely across the tower cross-section. That makes it possible to work on the platform assembly. The working platform assembly can be released from the tower wall by the scissor lattice-like carrier structure and fixed again in another region of the building of a different cross-section.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present invention concerns a working platform assembly for use inthe interior of a tower-like building.

2. Description of the Related Art

When erecting a tower-like building such as for example a pylon of awind power installation it is necessary inter alia also to carry outoperations in the interior of the tower-like building. For that purposetypically a working platform assembly is fixed to a crane and introducedfrom above into the interior of the tower-like building. That is onlypossible however as long as the upper end of the tower-like building isopen. As soon as the tower-like building is closed off upwardly it is nolonger possible to use a working platform assembly on a crane. As thepylon of a wind power installation can attain for example a height of100 meters operations in the interior of the pylon are not readilypossible.

At this juncture as state of the art attention is directed generally tothe following publications: DE 366 A; AT 203 033 and U.S. Pat. No1,652,403.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Therefore the object of the present invention is to provide a workingplatform assembly which can be used in the interior of a tower-likebuilding.

That object is attained by a working platform assembly as set forth inclaim 1 and by a system for the use of a working platform assembly asset forth in claim 8.

Thus there is provided a working platform assembly which can be used inthe interior of a tower-like building such as for example a pylon of awind power installation. The working platform assembly has a scissorlattice-like carrier structure. A working platform is arranged on thatcarrier structure.

Therefore there is provided a working platform assembly which can beadapted to different cross-sections. That is of significance inparticular in relation to tower-like buildings whose cross-sectionsnarrow upwardly so that the available area for a working platformassembly varies accordingly.

A scissor lattice-like support arrangement is provided as the carrierstructure for a working platform assembly, which support arrangementclimbs upwardly in the interior of a tower or pylon with the buildingprogress and has a working platform assembly. Such a working platformassembly or internal platform assembly can advantageously be used inrelation to towers or pylons which are made from pre-cast concreteparts.

The pre-cast concrete parts used for erecting a tower or pylon have attheir inner periphery holders on which the inner platform assembly orparts thereof can be suspended. Preferably those holders are disposed atpredetermined heights and spacings. Holders can either be mounted at theoutset in the pre-cast concrete parts or they can be subsequently fittedtherein. The holders which are arranged in a distributed configurationpermit the working platform assembly to behave in a similar fashion to amountain climber who drives hooks into a mountain face above hisposition and then continues to climb up to those hooks.

Subsequent fitment of those hooks is basically possible but istime-consuming. Thus the holders are preferably fitted at the start sothat a working platform assembly can quickly climb up or down on thoseholders.

It will be noted however that subsequent installation may be appropriateif the alternative is temporary dismantling of the wind powerinstallation pod as that requires considerably more effort.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention arranged around the centralcarrier element is an actuating element which acts on the lower scissorlattice bars which bear against the central carrier element. The lowerscissor lattice bars can be subjected to a tensile force by theactuating element. That results in retraction of the scissor lattice andthus a reduction in the size of the working platform assembly so that itcan be moved into a part of the tower which is of smaller cross-section.In contrast, acting on the scissor lattice bars with a pressure forceresults in extension of the scissor lattice structure and thus anincrease in the size of the working platform assembly. If the workingplatform assembly already extends through the entire tower cross-sectionand bears against the wall of the tower the pressing force exerted onthe scissor lattice bars can provide for adjusting the contact pressurewith which the peripheral edge of the working platform assembly bearsagainst the tower wall.

Further configurations of the invention are set forth in the appendantclaims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The embodiments by way of example of the present invention are describedin greater detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIGS. 1 to 4 each show a cross-section through a tower-like building inthe erection of the building in accordance with the first embodiment,

FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of a tower-like building with a workingplatform assembly disposed therein,

FIG. 6 shows a cross-section through a tower-like building with acorresponding working platform assembly,

FIG. 7 shows a further cross-section of a tower-like building with aworking platform assembly in accordance with the first embodiment, and

FIG. 8 shows a simplified view of an individual plate of the workingplatform assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a cross-section through a tower-like building 100 with aworking platform assembly in accordance with the first embodiment. Thebuilding 100 which is in the course of construction, preferably a pylonof a wind power installation, has two pre-cast concrete parts 10, 11which were produced at the outset and which are arranged one upon theother. The working platform assembly 50 is lowered into the interior ofthe tower-like building by means of a crane cable 20. In this example,the working platform assembly 50 substantially comprises a carrierstructure which has scissor lattice-like carrier arms 5, and a workingplatform 7. A cable 2 may extend from a Tirak winch 1 for power inputfrom the ground region. Tirak is a brand of winches well known in theart for lifting objects and other functions.

FIG. 2 shows a cross-section through a tower-like building with aworking platform assembly in accordance with the first embodiment. WhileFIG. 1 shows a situation in which the working platform assembly isintroduced into the interior of the tower-like building, FIG. 2 showsthe situation in which the working platform assembly has been extendedand extends completely across the tower cross-section. That issubstantially achieved by the scissor lattice-like carrier arms 5 beingextended until they are in contact with the inside wall of thetower-like building. A plurality of Tirak winches 1 are provided in thelower region of the working platform assembly. They are preferably eachmounted to an outer end of each scissor lattice arm. People and materialand tooling can be disposed on the platform 7 which preferably extendsover the entire cross-section of the interior of the tower-likebuilding. In that respect the platform 7 takes over the function of aworking platform assembly and the people can there perform working stepsin order to erect the tower-like building.

FIG. 3 shows a further cross-section through the tower-like buildingwith a working platform assembly in accordance with the firstembodiment. While only two pre-cast concrete parts 10 and 11 are shownin a condition of already being fitted in position in each of FIGS. 1and 2, FIG. 3 shows the situation in which a further pre-cast concretepart 12 is being mounted on the two pre-cast concrete parts 10 and 11which have already been installed. Additional sections will be added asdesired to build the pylon tower. In order on the one hand to secure theworking platform assembly and on the other hand to permit it to climb inthe interior of the tower, provided in the inside wall of the pre-castconcrete parts are holders 3 on which cables (not shown) are suspended.Those cables pass through the Tirak winches so that the platformassembly according to the invention can move in a vertical directionalong the cables within the tower by suitable actuation of the Tirakwinches.

A power supply for the working platform assembly and its Tirak winchescan be provided for example by a cable 2 from below.

FIG. 4 shows a cross-section of a tower-like building with a workingplatform assembly in accordance with the first embodiment. Here, threepre-cast concrete parts 10, 11 and 12 have now been assembled and theworking platform assembly 50 has to be moved upwardly in order to permitoperations to be carried out in the upper pre-cast concrete part 10and/or fitment of the subsequent pre-cast concrete part. For thatpurpose one of the workers can climb by means of a ladder 15 to theholder 3 on the inside wall of the third pre-cast concrete part 12 inorder to appropriately fix a cable of the Tirak winch 1 there. As analternative to the ladder 15 it is also possible to use a telescopicbar. Preferably the number of holders 3 at the inside wall of thetower-like building should be at least equal to the number of Tirakwinches so that the cables of the Tirak winches can be suitably fixedthereto. For that purpose, the brake on a respective winch is releasedso that the cable can be pulled upwardly. After the cable has beenattached to the upper holder the cable is fixed in the winch again sothat the platform assembly is also again carried by that cable.Thereupon the next winch is released and attached to the correspondingupper holder 3, and so forth.

During those preparatory operations for displacing the working platformassembly within the tower it is repeatedly not held for a short time bya respective winch or the associated cable. The load of the workingplatform assembly must then be respectively carried by the other holdersand cables.

FIG. 5 shows a cross-section through a tower-like building with aworking platform assembly in accordance with the first embodiment. Thescissor lattice-like carrier arms 5 of the working platform assembly areto be seen here. In addition the working platform assembly has rollers16 (6 rollers are shown in this example but fewer or less can be used)externally on the working platform assembly. When the working platformassembly is extended the rollers then come into contact with the insidewall of the tower-like building so that the working platform assembly 50can be more easily moved upwardly or downwardly and damage to the insidewall of the tower and/or the working platform assembly during themovement is avoided.

The platform includes a predetermined number of plates 17, which isgreater by 1 than the number of carrier arms. All plates 17 are of acircular round configuration in the present embodiment. One of thoseplates includes a central rod (see reference 60 in FIG. 6) in order toclose the central part of the platform.

The other plates 17 are each arranged on a respective carrier arm andfixed to the outer end of the carrier arm. Those plates are furtherprovided with an opening slot 19. That opening 19 extends outwardly in astraight line in a radial direction from the center of the plate. Inthat respect the opening is of a width which is slightly greater thanthe diameter of the central rod. In situ each of those plates is sooriented that its opening faces towards the central rod 60. As the arms5 expand, the plates 17 spread apart, providing a larger platform 7.

FIG. 6 shows a detailed sectional view through the working platformassembly shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. In this case the scissor lattice-likecarrier arms 5 are extended on the right-hand side. In that way a largerinternal cross-section of the tower-like building can be covered by theworking platform assembly.

FIG. 7 shows a further detailed cross-section of the tower-like buildingwith the working platform assembly in accordance with the firstembodiment. This FIG. 7 shows a situation in which the working platformassembly is disposed within a pre-cast concrete part 12 in the upperregion of the tower-like building. In this case, the cross-section ofthat pre-cast concrete part is smaller than the cross-section of thepre-cast concrete part 10 shown in FIG. 6. Accordingly the scissorlattice-like carrier arms 5 of the working platform assembly are adaptedto the cross-section which decreases in size when the working platformassembly is displaced upwardly, by the arms being retracted.

Accordingly there can be provided an internal platform assembly orworking platform assembly which can itself climb up or down in thetower. For example in the case of a pylon of a wind power installationit is no longer necessary to go up or down from the pod in a basket witha winch. Rather there is now provided an internal platform assemblywhich can extend completely across the pylon and which can easily climbup where precisely working operations are to be executed. Furthermore byvirtue of the configuration of the scissor lattice-like carrier arms 5it can adapt to different pylon cross-sections.

As soon as the working platform assembly is no longer required it can beretracted by the scissor lattice-like carrier arms being contracted.Thereafter the working platform assembly can be removed again forexample through a door in the pylon of a wind power installation.Preferably the working platform assembly has a central rod 60 andscissor lattice/carrier arms 5 pivotably mounted thereto. Arranged onthe carrier arms 5 are plates 17 which then form the working platform 7.The so-called through-pass winches or Tirak winches are provided beneaththe carrier arms. With Tirak or through-pass winches of that kind, theworking platform assembly can itself climb up or down on cablesextending through the winches. The cables of the Tirak winches 1 arepreferably fixed to holders 3 at the inside of the tower-like buildingso that the Tirak winches can run up or down on the cables. Preferably aplurality of Tirak winches are provided at the periphery of the workingplatform assembly. For moving up or down the cables of the Tirak wincheshave to be successively released from the holders and fitted to the nexthigher or next lower holder, depending on whether the working platformassembly is to be moved up or down. Preferably there are at least fiveTirak winches at the periphery of the working platform assembly so thatthere are also at least five cables with the corresponding holders 3.

The plates 17 of the working platform are preferably of such aconfiguration that they overlap each other so that the working platform7 can adapt to the different cross-sections within a tower-likebuilding.

That adaptation operation takes place as follows. As the plates 17 ofthe working platform 7 overlap and do not lie in front of each other inbutting relationship, they can move relative to each other. Thatmovement of a plate 7 inevitably occurs upon actuation of the scissorlattice. When the scissor lattice is retracted the plate which is fixedthereto moves towards the central rod and vice-versa.

As each of the plates 17 in fixed to a carrier arm 5 has an openingwhich is directed towards the central rod and is somewhat wider thansame retraction of a carrier arm with the concomitant movement of thecorresponding plate 7 does not result in the plate 7 colliding with thecentral rod. Rather the opening moves towards the central rod andreceives it. The length of the opening is a measurement of the extent towhich the platform can be pushed together or the scissor lattice-likecarrier arm can be retracted.

A simplified representation of a plate 17 is shown in FIG. 8.

The rollers 6 at the periphery of the working platform assembly 50 areprovided so that the working platform assembly rolls against the insideof the tower wall and does not scrape along it there.

The working platform assembly which is adjustable in its cross-sectioncan provide a working platform which is adapted to the cross-section ofa tower-like building which narrows upwardly.

The above-described working platform assembly is found to beparticularly advantageous when a pod of a wind power installation isalready arranged on the pylon of the wind power installation and thereis thus no longer any possible way of gaining access to the interior ofthe pylon of the wind power installation by means of a crane from above.In such a situation the working platform assembly which can be collapsedor which can be dismantled can be introduced through the door in thelower region of the pylon and appropriately set up so that it can thenmove up and down along the pylon by means of the holders 3 which aredisposed in the pylon segments.

As the scissor expands, the plate 17 that is fixed to the respective arm5 also moves from the center, providing an enlargement of the platform10. As the arms are pushed together, the slots 19 go over central rod60, making the platform smaller.

The various embodiments described above can be combined to providefurther embodiments. All of the U.S. patents, U.S. patent applicationpublications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patentapplications and non-patent publications referred to in thisspecification and/or listed in the Application Data Sheet, areincorporated herein by reference, in their entirety. Aspects of theembodiments can be modified, if necessary to employ concepts of thevarious patents, applications and publications to provide yet furtherembodiments.

These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of theabove-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, theterms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specificembodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should beconstrued to include all possible embodiments along with the full scopeof equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, theclaims are not limited by the disclosure.

1. A working platform assembly for use in the interior of a tower-likebuilding comprising: a scissor lattice-like carrier structure, a workingplatform arranged on the carrier structure, wherein the carrierstructure has at least three scissor lattice-like carrier arms spaced ata uniform arcuate distance, a central carrier element to which thescissor lattice-like carrier structures are pivotably mounted in radialorientation and are radially extendable, a plurality of mutuallypartially overlappling plates that form at least a portion of theworking platform. each of the plates having an opening that, extendsfrom a central position of the plate in a radial direction towards thecentral carrier element.
 2. A working platform assembly according toclaim 1 characterized by a Tirak winch at the peripheral end of eachcarrier arm.
 3. A working platform assembly according to claim 1 orclaim 2 characterized by an actuating element which is arranged aroundthe central carrier element and acts on the lower scissor lattice barsbearing against the central carrier element and is arranged along thecentral carrier element.
 4. A working platform assembly according toclaim 1 characterized by a holder for attaching cables which are fixedto the wall in the interior of the tower-like building at predeterminedspacings, wherein the cables are guided through the Tirak winches.
 5. Aworking platform assembly according to claim 4 characterized by atransverse member which can be arranged releasably in a tower segmentwhich is to be fitted in position and which co-operates with theactuating element by means of a cable and a winch.